The Atomized Dream

Canvas Solaris is a rarity: a metal band that is also an instrumental band. Historically, instrumentalists have made their mark in other areas of rock — for example, surf rock (the Ventures, the Surfaris) and shredder music (as in Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Randy Coven). And while the shredders are certainly relevant to hard rock, they aren't full-fledged metal (although there can easily be a fine line between hard rock and metal — no doubt about that). The instrumental metal on The Atomized Dream draws on both progressive metal and alternative metal, which is another unlikely combination and another thing that makes Canvas Solaris a rarity. Most progressive metal bands have not been influenced by alt metal; typically, a prog metal band's influences are likely to range from power metal favorites like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Queensrÿche to '70s prog rockers such as Yes, Pink Floyd, ELP, King Crimson, Rush, and Genesis — and many of the prog metal bands that emerged in the '90s and 2000s (especially in Europe) have engaged in a lot of '70s and '80s worship and been oblivious to alternative rock and alternative metal. But on The Atomized Dream (which is frequently on the technical side), one hears elements of '70s and '80s rock combined with the chug riffs and downtuned guitars that have been trademarks of alternative metal in the '90s and the 21st century. Canvas Solaris' experimentation doesn't always pay off — sometimes, their self-indulgence gets the better of them — but their willingness to take chances yields more positive results than negative results on The Atomized Dream.